Of all the years we -the Brooklyn Bird club hosting this annual event ( and special thanks to our hostess Karen O'Hearn) tonight was the best nighthawk numbers we've seen.
Before we set up at 6 pm on the western Nethermead, Karen beckons me to come quickly. She had already 10 nighthawks in one flock over Center drive. But within 30 minutes ,we comfortably observed 40 birds. Reports came in on the discord alert of 20 or more birds observed from Greenwood to the Jett Roof and north Long Meadow to Prospect Lake. Its a big night.After a week with no north wind the nighthawks were itching to go!
And it turned out to be an early bird special as most of the flock appeared 545 to 630 pm and dispersed by 7. None appeared afterwards with the airspace taken over by chimney swifts . A great evening it was for a record breaker.
In years past we held our watches in the last week of August. But because the last north wind was on a busy labor day weekend, we Skipped to tonight. A fortuitous decision it was .
Thanks to Karen who also made great little pamphlets about the Common Nighthawk and it's life history. The watch party --ever popular-- peaked at 55 birders tonight ..
"Summer's lease hath all too short a date" – William Shakespeare
